Plant Biotechnology For Sustainable Production Of Energy And Co Products

This book is a collection of chapters concerning the use of biomass for the sustainable production of energy and chemicals–an important goal that will help decrease the production of greenhouse gases to help mitigate global warming, provide energy security in the face of dwindling petroleum reserves, improve balance of payment problems and spur local economic development. Clearly there are ways to save energy that need to be encouraged more. These include more use of energy sources such as, among others, manure in anaerobic digesters, waste wood in forests as fuel or feedstock for cellulosic ethanol, and conservation reserve program (CRP) land crops that are presently unused in the US. The use of biofuels is not new; Rudolf Diesel used peanut oil as fuel in the ?rst engines he developed (Chap. 8), and ethanol was used in the early 1900s in the US as automobile fuel [Songstad et al. (2009) Historical perspective of biofuels: learning from the past to rediscover the future. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 45:189–192). Brazil now produces enough sugar cane ethanol to make up about 50% of its transportation fuel needs (Chap. 4). The next big thing will be cellulosic ethanol. At present, there is also the use of Miscanthus x giganteous as fuel for power plants in the UK (Chap. 2), bagasse (sugar cane waste) to power sugar cane mills (Chap. 4), and waste wood and sawdust to power sawmills (Chap. 7).

This book is a collection of chapters concerning the use of biomass for the sustainable production of energy and chemicals–an important goal that will help decrease the production of greenhouse gases to help mitigate global warming, provide energy security in the face of dwindling petroleum reserves, improve balance of payment problems and spur local economic development. Clearly there are ways to save energy that need to be encouraged more. These include more use of energy sources such as, among others, manure in anaerobic digesters, waste wood in forests as fuel or feedstock for cellulosic ethanol, and conservation reserve program (CRP) land crops that are presently unused in the US. The use of biofuels is not new; Rudolf Diesel used peanut oil as fuel in the ?rst engines he developed (Chap. 8), and ethanol was used in the early 1900s in the US as automobile fuel [Songstad et al. (2009) Historical perspective of biofuels: learning from the past to rediscover the future. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 45:189–192). Brazil now produces enough sugar cane ethanol to make up about 50% of its transportation fuel needs (Chap. 4). The next big thing will be cellulosic ethanol. At present, there is also the use of Miscanthus x giganteous as fuel for power plants in the UK (Chap. 2), bagasse (sugar cane waste) to power sugar cane mills (Chap. 4), and waste wood and sawdust to power sawmills (Chap. 7).

Sustainable Biotechnology; Sources of Renewable Energy draws on the vast body of knowledge about renewable resources for biofuel research, with the aim to bridge the technology gap and focus on critical aspects of lignocellulosic biomolecules and the respective mechanisms regulating their bioconversion to liquid fuels and other value-added products. This book is a collection of outstanding research reports and reviews elucidating several broad-ranging areas of progress and challenges in the utilization of sustainable resources of renewable energy, especially in biofuels.

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION INNOVATIONS Presenting the latest technologies and practices in this ever-changing field, this groundbreaking new volume covers the gambit for providing solutions and practical applications of smart and efficient energy systems. The global and climate changes we are witnessing are primarily driven by factors such as rising population, economic growth, and industrialization. These changes have led to an increase in atmospheric CO2, pollution, deforestation, water scarcity, and hunger, among other pressing issues. To ensure a green and sustainable future, it is crucial to harness renewable resources for the production of fuels, chemicals, and materials. The book, Sustainable Production Innovations, addresses several bioprocesses that are integral to our daily lives, tackling important topics such as biofuel production, energy and food security, and wastewater management. The commercial interest in biotechnological processes has grown significantly due to their ability to utilize biocatalysts such as enzymes, bacteria, plant cells, or animal cells in bioreactors for the production of medications, health supplements, foods, biofuels, and chemicals. Switching to bioproducts offers key benefits such as the sustainability of third-generation biofuels, CO2 sequestration, effective waste utilization, and meeting the increasing demand for clean water. The book explores various procedures used in biomass biorefineries and bioprocessing for the production of biofuels, biobased chemicals, and bioproducts. It also delves into advancements in utilizing oleaginous microorganisms for biofuels and nutraceuticals, biological wastewater treatment, and microplastic detection techniques in water. Additionally, the book covers topics such as biolubricant technologies, bioprocessing of agricultural and forest waste, biotechnological approaches in the cosmetic industry, and large-scale applications of nanomaterials for water treatment. Authored by experts from leading biotechnology research groups around the world, the book comprises 13 chapters featuring the latest research in each subject. It is a valuable resource for scholars in chemical engineering, applied microbiology, biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, and related fields, offering new insights into the sustainable use of renewable energy and biochemicals. Professionals, including biochemical engineers, phycologists, bioprocess engineers, chemical engineers, scientists, and researchers in the water, food, pharmaceutical, and renewable energy industries will find this book beneficial. Likewise, students and faculty in the chemical engineering and energy departments will gain valuable knowledge from its contents.

Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts considers the recent technological innovations and emerging concepts in biobased energy production and coproducts utilization. Each chapter in this book has been carefully selected and contributed by experts in the field to provide a good understanding of the various challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable production of biofuel. Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts covers a broad and detailed range of topics including: production capacity of hydrocarbons in the plant kingdom, algae, and microbes; biomass pretreatment for biofuel production; microbial fuel cells; sustainable use of biofuel co-products; bioeconomy and transportation infrastructure impacts and assessment of environmental risks and the life cycle of biofuels. Researchers, practitioners, undergraduate and graduate students engaged in the study of biorenewables, and members of the well-informed public will find Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts to be a useful and comprehensive research tool, describing the state of the art and recent developments in this field.

This comprehensive volume developed under the guidance of guest editors Prakash Lakshmanan and David Songstad features broad coverage of the topic of biofuels and its significance to the economy and to agriculture. These chapters were first published by In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology In Vitro Plant in 2009 and consists of 15 chapters from experts who are recognized both for their scientific accomplishments and global perspective in their assigned topics.

Plant biotechnology applies to three major areas of plants and their uses: (1) control of plant growth and development; (2) protection of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses; and (3) expansion of ways by which specialty foods, biochemicals, and pharmaceuticals are produced. The topic of recent advances in plant biotechnology is ripe for consideration because of the rapid developments in this ?eld that have revolutionized our concepts of sustainable food production, cost-effective alt- native energy strategies, environmental bioremediation, and production of pla- derived medicines through plant cell biotechnology. Many of the more traditional approaches to plant biotechnology are woefully out of date and even obsolete. Fresh approaches are therefore required. To this end, we have brought together a group of contributors who address the most recent advances in plant biotechnology and what they mean for human progress, and hopefully, a more sustainable future. Achievements today in plant biotechnology have already surpassed all previous expectations. These are based on promising accomplishments in the last several decades and the fact that plant biotechnology has emerged as an exciting area of research by creating unprecedented opportunities for the manipulation of biological systems. In connection with its recent advances, plant biotechnology now allows for the transfer of a greater variety of genetic information in a more precise, controlled manner. The potential for improving plant productivity and its proper use in agric- ture relies largely on newly developed DNA biotechnology and molecular markers.

Nature offers abundant renewable resources that can be used to partially replace fossil fuels and commodity chemicals but issues of cost, technology readiness levels, and compatibility with existing distribution networks remain huge challenges. Cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel are the most immediately obvious target fuels, with hydrogen, methane and butanol as other potentially viable products. This book continues to bridge the technology gap and focus on critical aspects of lignocellulosic biomolecules and the respective mechanisms regulating their bioconversion to liquid fuels into energy and value-added products of industrial significance. This book is a collection of reviews elucidating several broad-ranging areas of progress and challenges in the utilization of sustainable resources of renewable energy, especially in biofuels. This book comes just at a time when government and industries are accelerating their efforts in the exploration of alternative energy resources, with expectations of the establishment of long-term sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based liquid fuels. Apart from liquid fuel this book also emphasizes the use of sustainable resources for value-added products, which may help in revitalizing the biotechnology industry at a broader scale. This book also provides a comprehensive review of basic literature and advance research methodologies to graduate students studying environmental microbiology, chemical engineering, bio-economy and microbial biotechnology.